


Personent Hodie

by Verity Wolf (GallifreyanWitch)



Category: Discworld - Terry Pratchett, Medieval - Fandom, Original Work
Genre: Audio/Video, Carol - Christmas, Carol - Freeform, Christmas, Fan Art, Fanon notes, Filk, Gen, Hogswatch, Latatian/Latin, Latin, Medieval, Medieval Music, Morporkian/English, Music, Original/New Lyrics, Song Lyrics, Traditional Tune, Winter, Winter Solstice, YouTube, Yule
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-24
Updated: 2014-12-24
Packaged: 2018-02-28 05:05:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2719736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GallifreyanWitch/pseuds/Verity%20Wolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A Hogswatch song dating back over 600 years from the present.</p><p>---<br/>I have a love of medieval and folk music and combining that with a love of Discworld led to this: a Discworld version of the medieval song by the same name.<br/>---<br/>2014.12.06: Updated with easier to read image version<br/>2012.12.24: Uploaded Audio/Video and Illuminated text</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Audio/Video and illumentated version

**Author's Note:**

> Tune: Traditional  
> Lyrics: Original by Verity Wolf/Gallifreyan Witch, based upon those of the song dating back to either the 14th (for music) or 16th (for surviving published lyrics) centuries.  
> While inspired and drawing upon Pratchett's Discworld, there are only 2 - 4 direct-ish references - it could otherwise be taken as quite a nice alternative almost/non-religious version of the song.
> 
> Lyrics are provided in both Morporkian/English and Latatian/Latin. I would like to note I do not speak Latin (yet, sadly) and have relied on Google Translate in assisting with translation. Consequently I have no idea about the accuracies of spelling, layout and grammar, but as song writers from the middle ages worked I have focused more on the sounds and affects than the words. Anyway, the latin is meant to be Latatian and many of the Latatian phrases of the Disc vary between their translation in the books and via Google Translate. 
> 
> Thankfully the first two versus virtually wrote themselves.
> 
> The "chorus" to the 3rd verse also has two versions, as many historic songs can have variation and improvisation it's simply that only certain ones were recorded and so known for certain. Which is followed is up to the singer.
> 
> Fanon Notes are included at the end, covering performance, symbolism, the history of the song on the Disc and it's wider influence - all a complete construction based upon my own head fanon of the books I must admit, but I think there's room in the history of the Disc to let it slip in somewhere without causing too much fuss.
> 
> I have found formatting very difficult - any advice or guidance most welcome as are comments. Will try and improve formatting and if all else fails upload it as an image to get the layout right.
> 
> I fully intend to make recordings of this and upload them in the next few days.  
> \---2014/12/04  
> 2012.12.24: Uploaded Audio/Video and Illuminated text

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well, I've finally finished recording and uploaded the audio version to youtube and here it is, accompanied by the illuminated version of the text.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes for the image at the bottom.
> 
> Re the audio:  
> I'm posting this now because it's already taken too long and it'll take even longer before I'm perfectly happy with it. This is about the 5th full recording I've done to try and be happy with it, and thats excluding the rerecording of individual verses.  
> To start with, I'd like to point out I've never recorded a song before, so it took quite a while to work out how. I ended up recording onto my tablet (a wonderful Samsung Note 10.1) using the little microphone included on the headphones and the app "Audio Evolution".  
> Next, I'm not a musician - simply a fanatic with dreams I want to make that little bit more real. All the instruments played in the recording, however, are by me despite the fact I'm untrained (to put it simply for at least 2 of the instruments there is very little training available anyway and I generally prefer to teach myself and play naturally by ear and heart). Also, probably the most practice I normally have singing is in the shower!
> 
> But having said all that, while it's by no means perfect, I'm actually quite pleased with the results especially given the odds against me achieving anything like this.  
> I hope it gets across the song alright and helps demonstrate to those who've clicked and probably been unfamiliar with the tune what it's meant to sound like. Bear in mind, this is medieval music - a good bit different from modern stuff and with some medieval instruments.
> 
> Hope you've had a good winter solstice and continue to have a lovely Christmas, New Year and Hogswatch/Crueltide. Thanks for listening/reading. As always, comments welcome.

[ ](<iframe%20width=%22560%22%20height=%22315%22%20src=%22//www.youtube.com/embed/M4OfIJd8yCU%22%20frameborder=%220%22%20allowfullscreen></iframe>)

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Re the illuminated version:  
> "P" initial based on the one featured in the original 16th cent roundworld document recording the lyrics of the roundworld version, but modified to focus on the oak motif tat runs through the page. It also feature my first attempt at gilding using gold leaf!  
> Borders and decorations dawn from the Luttrell Psalter. Though the boar is quite close, I think, to the original images (do a google search for luttrell psalter oak leaves and you'll find it) I can't help but think of it as a medieval anteater or something. Drawn in pencil, coloured with lots of patience and watercolours and in some cases inked and/or coated with Gum Arabic.  
> Lettering done in a medieval gothic "black letter" font - which I found very nice to work with.


	2. Image Version

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well, I've finally made it into an image version - which means a chance to play around with layout, font and my own little images or oak leaves and branches.
> 
> I've made 2 versions - below is the narrow version which I think os a little easier to follow. Both, however, are on my Deviant Art page: http://gallifreyan-witch.deviantart.com/

 

* * *

* * *

 

Annotations on Latatian Lyrics

The 1st refrain of "Yo ho, ho, ho" is thought to have entered the normal language, as Morporkian listeners came to associate the words with greeting the day [In much the way the word "Hocus Pocus" on Roundworld is thought to have originated from priests saying "Hoc Est Copus" ("Here is the Body in Latin) during Christian services - representing the point of transubstantiation. The words sounded like Hocus Pocus to the average English listener and the words became associated with a moment of miraculous (dare I say it, magical) change.].

This led to both the "Yo, Ho, Ho" popular among Pirates (as in Yo, Ho, Ho and a bottle of rum: Greet today with/and/bring a bottle of rum (Tagline of a certain rum brand favored by many a privateer)) and the "Ho, Ho, Ho" the Hogfather is renowned for saying (who is said to prefer brandy or port).

 

The 2nd verse includes the words "a maris". This relates to the sea, but when being sung almost sounds like "amor" - as in love. Thus it might be interpreted as commenting on the hardships of love potentially being denied, unrequited or prevented from flourishing.

 

The 3rd verse includes a little play on the words Ardeo and Ardor - Burning/glowing and glow/love = again linking to a romantic theme. The whole of the second line plays with the multiple meanings of the Latatian words ardor being both warmth/flame/glow/etc and love, both of which are being applied to the heart.

 

In the 4th verse there is a play on ideas:

The first line plays on both the idea of new year and the "new" in general taking place during the winter solstice and cold. The ideas become practically inseparable in the lyrics.

Tenebrae can mean darkness or evil. Aur'a is an abrieviation of Aurora - dawn, but can also mean air (as in heavens) and light. Thus there is a dichotomy Night -Dawn / Evil-Divine/ Darkness-Light

There is also the use of the word miror - a reference to "mirroring" but also wonder. Thus it could be interpreted as starlike mirroring heavens or starlike in wonder of/influenced by heavens, as seen at the dawn of the Enlightenment.

 


	3. Audio/Video and illumentated version

**Morporkian**

**Latatian**

Verse 1

On this day Disc shall sing

Personent hodie

Of the Change the Sun brings

De muto sol port-a

Rejoice! Winter Storms

Gaudete! Hiems tempest

Soon shall be forgotten

Mox erunt pretereo

Spring flowers begotten

Ver flos progenero

Chorus 1

Greet to-day, day, day

Yo ho, ho, ho

Greet to-day, day, day

Yo ho, ho, ho

Greet to-day-

Yo hodie gloria

   glory of the new sun

neo helio

 

Verse 2

Nights are long, days are short

Longis nox, brevis lux

Strong winds blow from the shore

Flabrus maris a marus

And from moun-tain of Gods

Et ex monte caelestes

Snow and Ice befall us

Nix gelum evenio

Gales (r') Heavens chorus

Ventus cael cantio

Chorus 2

Crystal ice, ice, ice

Crystall-os, os, os

Crystal ice, ice, ice

Crystall-os, os, os

Crystal ice, frozen stars,

Crystall-os, nix stella,

   Heavens gifts upon us

caelus donum supra-nos

Verse 3

Fire burns in the hearth

Lar ignis ardeo

Love and joy warm the heart

Gaudium animus ardor

Song and cheer all around

Carmen hilaritudo

Food and drink abundant

Victus potio

All cares abandoned

Relinquite fatigo

Chorus 3

Round the tree, tree, tree

Circum bra-tus, tus, tus

Round the tree, tree, tree

Circum bra-tus, tus, tus

Round the tree and evergreens,

Circum bratus et sempervirens,

                 (a)like Cori Celesti

Pariter Mons Caelestus

OR

Round the tree, golden leaves

Circum bratus, folia aurea

Herald seasons tidings

Praeco tempus nuntio

 

Verse 4

New year comes in the cold

Novus veni bruma

Cleansing us of the old

Purgatio antiquare

Darkness before the dawn

Tenebrae ante aur'a

Shows the light within us

 Intra lux ostende

Starlike, mirrors heavens

 

Stella miror Caeli

Chorus 4

Life a-glow, glow, glow

Vita ar-dens, dens, dens

Life a-glow, glow, glow

Vita ar-dens, dens, dens

Life aglow, life anew,

Vita ardens, vita denuo,

that is what awaits us

Quid est contra nos.

 

 

* * *

 

Annotations on Latatian Lyrics

The 1st refrain of "Yo ho, ho, ho" is thought to have entered the normal language, as Morporkian listeners came to associate the words with greeting the day [In much the way the word "Hocus Pocus" on Roundworld is thought to have originated from priests saying "Hoc Est Copus" ("Here is the Body in Latin) during Christian services - representing the point of transubstantiation. The words sounded like Hocus Pocus to the average English listener and the words became associated with a moment of miraculous (dare I say it, magical) change.].

This led to both the "Yo, Ho, Ho" popular among Pirates (as in Yo, Ho, Ho and a bottle of rum: Greet today with/and/bring a bottle of rum (Tagline of a certain rum brand favored by many a privateer)) and the "Ho, Ho, Ho" the Hogfather is renowned for saying (who is said to prefer brandy or port).

 

The 2nd verse includes the words "a maris". This relates to the sea, but when being sung almost sounds like "amor" - as in love. Thus it might be interpreted as commenting on the hardships of love potentially being denied, unrequited or prevented from flourishing.

 

The 3rd verse includes a little play on the words Ardeo and Ardor - Burning/glowing and glow/love = again linking to a romantic theme. The whole of the second line plays with the multiple meanings of the Latatian words ardor being both warmth/flame/glow/etc and love, both of which are being applied to the heart.

 

 

In the 4th verse there is a play on ideas:

 

The first line plays on both the idea of new year and the "new" in general taking place during the winter solstice and cold. The ideas become practically inseparable in the lyrics.

Tenebrae can mean darkness or evil. Aur'a is an abrieviation of Aurora - dawn, but can also mean air (as in heavens) and light. Thus there is a dichotomy Night -Dawn / Evil-Divine/ Darkness-Light

There is also the use of the word miror - a reference to "mirroring" but also wonder. Thus it could be interpreted as starlike mirroring heavens or starlike in wonder of/influenced by heavens, as seen at the dawn of the Enlightenment.

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> See above for annotations on the Latatian lyrics  
> ===  
> The Morporkian  
> __________  
> This is a rough translation of the original Latatian into Morporkian, translated in such a way as to meet current more normal methods of lyric format. Consequently there are some variations in the words, however this is to create and maintain the sound of the song, the feel and meanings originally present.  
> Words in brackets are optional.
> 
> ====
> 
> The Latatian
> 
> \---History---
> 
> The lyrics for this song (including the variation) were found in Tower of Art Manuscript I.88, dating from around the 16th Century. Reference to and music accompanying the song however go back much further into the Dark Ages (Approx 1UC - 16th Cent) and it continued to be popular for some time after it was recorded until a move during the Light Ages to different modes of music, new methods of harmonics and popular themes. This coincided with the abandonment of most music, song and instruments from the Dark Ages.  
> The reference to "Darkness to Light" in the fourth verse may explain why it was recorded in the 16th century, during the transition from the Dark to Light ages (The age of Enlightenment).
> 
> As with many historic songs, popular themes revolved around both the natural world and divine, as well as normal life. Part of the popularity of this song derived from the fact it can be seen as religious or secular depending on the point of view of the reader/singer/listener, thus widening it's appeal and surviving fluctuations in prominent beliefs over time.  
> This song represents acknowledgement of both the hardship of winter and the sense of looking forward to spring, summer and light, as well as making the best of and finding enjoyment in the present season.
> 
> In a certain light, parts could also be read as similar to a love song - the ups and downs of romance, the winter of love denied and the hope of love returning afresh like spring (try re-reading with this in mind and see notes above on 2nd verse and the 3rd verse in particular).
> 
> The writer is thought to have been a native Morporkian speaker, as the Latatian words are chosen frequently for possessing several meanings in the Morporkian language. It is also thought that while s/he refers to the hardships of winter, the presence of the third verse referring to luxury and comfort suggests they were not of a humble background. This may be an attempt to encourage and give hope and cheer to those who could not afford abundant food and drink, let alone a Hogswatch tree and warm fire, or it might be one of those typical cases where the comfortably well-off feel even more so for reminding others what they're missing out on [see the example of the Little Match Girl in Hogfather] - all part of the spirit of Hogswatch.
> 
>  
> 
> \--- Performance
> 
> For pronunciation, most "C"'s at the beginning of words are hard. The main exception is with the "caelestes" in the second verse, "Circum" in the third verse and "Caelestus" in one version of the third "chorus". Many words when sung end up being shortened in sound.
> 
> In order to keep to the tune within it's normal beat, the words often demand a lively nature of singing. This implies the cheery, joyous and celebratory nature of the song, regardless of whether the words are understood.
> 
> It might also be said that certain turns of phrase in the Latatian lyrics present challenges - various momentary speedings up or elongations - engaging both singer and listener. To master this and sing it well requires an element of tenacity, which might come across in the performance. Again, this seems intentional on the part of the lyricist, as if to represent the tenacity involved in facing harsh winters of the past and still succeeding in finding enjoyment.
> 
> \---Further Influence
> 
> Discussion with academics at the Unseen University reveal a certain amount of this song has slipped through to the "Roundworld".  
> The tune, for one thing, is identical, as is the concept of rejoicing.  
> There is reference here to the bursting forth of new life: on the Roundworld this has been interpreted as relating to the birth of an individual of religious significance to them - a possible confusion between "sun" and "son".  
> The "Ho, Ho, Ho" is also a phrase used by their equivalent of the Hogfather.  
> The reference to evergreens (following on from reference to trees) in the third verse being alike the (star-topped) Cori Celesti may have led to the use of an evergreen tree (frequently topped by a star) on Roundworld, with ancient associations to polytheistic belief based practices.


End file.
